Breeding Journal, Species: Solenostomus paradoxus at the Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences

General
Species:  Solenostomus paradoxus
Social Structure:  pair
Size of Individuals:  Female approx 3 inches, male 1.5 inches
Age of Individuals:  Unknown
Date added to Tank:  Collected on 5/24/2011, shipped 5/25/11, on display 5/26/11 and gave 'birth' on 6/4/2011 to 30 babies and again on 6/5/11.

Broodstock Tank Details
Size of Tank:  approx 100 gallons
Substrate Details:  Fine Sand
Filtration Details:  Skimmer, filter sock, BRS GAC GFO reactor
Water Changes:  20% weekly
Water Temperature:  78
Lighting:  1 250 watt MH
Lighting Cycle: 12 hours          
Other Tank Inhabitants:  Dwarf Cardinals, various soft corals

Broodstock Feeding Details
Food Types:  Live mysis
Feeding Schedule:  30 introduced to tank 3 times per day

Spawning Details
Date of First Spawn:  6/15/11
Spawn Time of Day:  Morning, when female was replace in show tank after releasing larvae in Kreisel
Dates of Consecutive Spawns:  Everytime the female is replaced. Spawning has otherwise not been seen
Courtship Details:  See video
Egg Size:  1-2mm
Egg Color:  white/cream
Egg Count:  many, very hard to tell actual numbers

Hatch Details
Hatch Date:  first realease 6/5, many more after that. Seems to release for 2-3 days and then not for 5-7 more days
Hatch Time of Day:  6-8 am
# Days after Spawn:  Hard to tell. They mate often so they may be on some kind of artificial cycle with eggs developing all the time. 
Larvae Description:  5 mm, look like pipefish


Larval Tank Details
Temperature:  78
Size of Larval Tank:  50 gallons
Substrate Details:  none
Other Tank Decor:  none
Filtration Details:  none
Lighting:  ambient
Lighting Cycle: 
Water Changes:  none- longest larval surrvival so far is approx 5 days

Larval Feeding Details
Food Types:  L strain rotis, every species of pod from Alagen. 
Feeding Schedule:  flood feeding

Metamorphosis/Settlement
Date of Settlement Start: 
Days after Hatch: 
Date of Settlement End: 
Description of Fry: 

Grow-Out Tank Details
Temperature: 
Size of Grow-Out Tank: 
Substrate Details: 
Other Tank Decor: 
Filtration Details: 
Lighting: 
Lighting Cycle: 
Water Changes: 
Size at Transfer: 
Age at Transfer: 

Grow-Out Feeding Details
Food Types: 
Feeding Schedule: 

Additional Information

(No Pictures or Videos in the Section Please)
Miscellaneous Information: 

Collected on 5/24/2011 as part of the CAS Philippine Biodiversity Expidetion, shipped 5/25/11, on display 5/26/11 and gave 'birth' on 6/4/2011 to 30 babies and again on 6/5/11.

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If your thread does not contain these photos the MBI Committee will not be able to approve your reports. PHOTOS AND VIDEO S MUST BE PLACED IN ADDITIONAL POSTS, NEVER IN THE FIRST POST IN A JOURNAL.

Here is the edited vid of most of what we have done so far. More in the works.

Man, Im fascinated in these stunning creatures. I have seen them for sale but never a pair only individuals. I would love to have a go with them, does anyone know of any literature on Them?

So freaking cool. Live mysis, huh? Are they eating anything else for you?

--Andy, the bucket man.
"Not to know the mandolin is to argue oneself unknown...." --Clara Lanza, 1886

Very cool indeed!

http://www.fishtalpropagations.com/#!home/mainPage
"Making captive breeding easier."

My family thinks you are a rock star. Just so you know....

--Andy, the bucket man.
"Not to know the mandolin is to argue oneself unknown...." --Clara Lanza, 1886

 
There is almost nothing on them. Sadly they ship terribly and I would hate to see commercial interest in this species because of our luck in being able to collect them and ship them ourselves, so please shop responsibly!

We aren't even trying anything besides live mysis. At work we just changed up responsibilities so I am looking forward to being able to give these guys lots of attention in the next few weeks. 

Yes I have been told they are poor shippers. I would only buy them directly from a marine specialist mporter in Europe. I don't think I have ever seen them in an LFS in the UK. I would like to build a specialist stand alone aquarium for these. would using a setup for say something like you would for dragons be ideal? ie lots of seagrass etc? (apart from I am presuming these are tropical unlike dragons).

Even specialist importers have problems with them. They aren't just poor shippers, they are terrible shippers! Their habitat has been confusing and we found them at many different places in different habitats. Worse, we believe they only live about a year. 
 
Oh - yes they are tropical

Really that bad? I know that they have them on the price list at least once a month, maybe I need to ask them some questions.
Thanks for the advice.

I'm so glad you are being given a chance to focus on these, Rich!  Best of luck with them!  What is the longest time the fry have survived so far?

Thanks for sharing. Best of luck to you.

Live and Learn